


Diversion

by Ace (Mister)



Category: End Roll (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence, Chris is only mentioned but does not appear, Drabble, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Russell is a timid child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 04:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13227810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mister/pseuds/Ace
Summary: Russell takes a diversion to Seaside—or rather, what remained of it.





	Diversion

**Author's Note:**

> The events of this story takes place on day 7.

Arms drooped by his side, Russell loosened his grip on the dullened knife. His downcast eyes provided little to no guidance as he made his way through the Dozing Forest. All signs of wildlife were gone, leaving an eerie silence. The crunching of leaves echoed throughout the lifeless forest with each step he took.

A faint sound of static murmured; he glanced up for a moment to the sight of the Incarners stuttering and breaking down, as with the rest of the once joyful dream. He shut his eyes and lowered his head once more and walked into the general direction of the Nameless Town, allowing his sense of direction to lead him back home.

He was in no mood for diversions. The towns that once bustled with life warped into grim reminders of his guilt.

With his focus clouded with repentance, Russell was taken by surprise as he was greeted by a distorted, high-pitched voice.

“The festival is over. Everyone is vanishing,” said the creature that resembled a Kelpie.

The once vibrant, green Kelpie had faded into a dull purple. In place of its characteristic friendly face was a crack with which blood oozed out of. Its slender legs twitched in pain as it limped away from the boy.

Russell slumped his shoulders in realization that he had taken the wrong turn to Seaside—or rather, what was left of it. Plants with unsettling appearances had grown in place of the palm trees. The brilliant sand turned pitch black, reminiscent of the Nightmares that plagued his dream. No inhabitants of the area were spared from the distortion; each living being had the same macabre crack with blood in place of their faces. The beach that previously emanated with joyous chatter and vitality had become another victim of the imminent collapse.

Russell turned his gaze to what had become of the Seaside Relaxing Hotel. Ominous green eyes staring about and a menacing mouth left an unnerving atmosphere. Despite the unwelcoming ambiance, the boy approached it, albeit cautiously. He wanted to ensure Chris’ well-being, even if he had to traverse such a foreboding place.

From all the time he spent in Happy Dream, it was the first instance Russell hesitated. It wasn’t because he feared what treacherous creature could possibly lurk inside; rather, he was afraid to confirm what he hoped to deny—that Puddle Apartments was swallowed into the void. Russell slowly stepped into the entrance, only to be repelled by some invisible force.

“The festival is over. Return to ‘ ‘ now,” a low, dark voice muttered.

Eyes widened from disbelief, Russell attempted once more to walk forward, which ended in the same result. He shut his eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to surface and turned towards the direction of the sea.

Happy Dream was the only way he could talk to Chris again. After the events in reality, Russell had no method of knowing how his only friend was doing. Perhaps he would have been angry or even frightened about the truth of the blond. Although he hadn’t shown any signs of concern before this experiment, Russell was stricken with grief. Undoubtedly, the dream had taught the boy more than just guilt.

With a weary heart, he continued to walk towards the sea. He had no destination in mind—he simply needed a diversion before he had to return to town. Although disheartened by his loss, Russell still had an obligation to the townspeople that treated him as one of their own.

There was nothing among the remains of Seaside that showed the place was once a beach. The blackened path was as hard as stone, yet his footsteps produced no sound with each step. The pitch-black sea was barricaded with threatening red structures akin to those within the Place of Pity. The gentle breeze that formerly wafted along the seashore was absent; the air was silent and still.

Russell peered between the red structures but saw nothing beyond the boundless darkness. His gaze fixated onto the desolate view. As bleak as the darkness was, the scenery around him yielded no better results to distract him.

“I see you’re delaying the inevitable, Russell,” a familiar voice spoke up.

Russell remained as he was. Without having to look over his shoulder, he recognized it was the Informant’s voice—just like his own, but with a hint of smugness. Although there were no sounds of footsteps on the eerie beach, he felt his doppelganger’s presence approach him. Russell shifted his gaze to his feet, wishing to avoid eye contact with the other boy.

“I just needed a diversion…” Russell spoke in a meek whisper, but the Informant heard it as clearly as if the boy had shouted it.

“You’re taking quite a while, aren’t you? The townspeople will worry about you if you don’t return soon,” the Informant stated with mockery rather than concern. “You can keep running away, but you’ll never escape the collapse.”

Taking the boy’s silence as consent to continue, the Informant spoke again. “You seem surprised that you ended up here, of all places. Surely, you know it’s not random chance. Your concern over your only real friend is undeniable, although it’s too late. In reality, you have no way of knowing how he’s doing nor how he feels about your acts.”

At this, Russell dropped to his knees and sat on the cold floor. Although he knew his twin was right, the Informant’s words still stung like acid. He slouched forward, hoping to evade his doppelganger’s sardonic gaze.

The Informant’s expression softened. “Your care over Chris is proof that Happy Dream had effectively taught you emotions you never felt. It’s difficult to deal with these unknown feelings, isn’t it?” He kneeled beside the exasperated boy. “If you return to the real world, you’ll be a success. Staying here isn’t going to fare any better since the dream will eventually collapse. I may be a part of you, but I do want you to be a success.”

“I don’t want to…” Russell whispered, although slightly louder than before. “I don’t want to leave. There’s no one waiting for me in the real world and this dream is as close as I could get to the people I learned to care about. They’re…all gone now.”

“Is that so?” The Informant’s vexed expression turned to a gentle smile. “In the end, it’s your choice whether to be a success or not. I’ll stand by your decision and stay with you until the end then. We’ll live out the rest of this dream together.”

Russell turned his gaze towards the boy he previously abstained from looking at. In place of the Informant’s usual pretentious grin was a genuine smile. Russell couldn’t help but feel the contagious expression spread to his own face as his lookalike offered out his hand, which he accepted.

“Well, let’s go back home now. I’m sure it’s been a tiring day for you,” the Informant said as he gently pulled the boy up.

Russell smiled, feeling at ease with the warmth of the Informant’s hand in his own. Walking together hand-in-hand, they returned to the Nameless Town.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, it's been a while since I've written a fic. Since the very first time I've played this game, I wondered what happened to Chris on day 7, so I decided to write about it. I also decided to make Russell timid and more emotional compared to my other stories. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this.


End file.
